Wonderful, simple book
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This book has the most fantastic illustrations and imagery.
I bought this book for my children who have to grow up with lesbian grandparents (my parents) and deal with the casual cruelties of the playground. After reading it together and not commenting on the same sex partnership my nearly-9 year old son said to me, "It's ok to be gay, isn't it Mummy?"
I think this is a fantastic book. It has little text on the pages and could be read (in my opinion) to 6 year olds upwards. After my efforts at telling my children "gay" comments they hear in the playground are unacceptable and discriminatory I think seeing the message in the official context of a book helped to confirm the message.
I would like to thank Linda De Haan if she ever reads this review (!) for writing this wonderful book.
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A Royal Love
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I bought this book as part of a themed collection but its strengths mean that it bears comparison with any children books. Quite simply, it is one of my favourites. Artistically, it is wonderfully colourful with a range of bright colours and fun textures. There are cunning visual jokes and little details scattered throughout, which means this books repays rereading.
The story begins in a traditional vein, with the prince who must marry so that his mother can retire. The choice of princesses allows the artist and writer to show off their comic skills in a series of one-page princesses, performing before the prince and his mother, completed with a two page spread of the splendid climax, followed by a wedding, celebration and conclusion where nobody is left out, ignored or belittled.
Finally, the main reason why this book is notorious. The same-sex pairing is unproblematic here. For the princes, it is love at first sight, and marriage is the natural result, just as it would be between prince and princess. This is accepted and is a cause for jubilation by the other characters. A more joyous and pleasant take on this theme would be hard to find, making this work a natural choice for those who want their little ones to have a rosier perspective on same-sex romance.
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